Folding crate



E. B. JOHNSTON.

mums cam. APPLICATION FILED .|AN.22- I917.

1,324,313. Patented Dec. 9,1919.

. EUGENE B. JonNsro or GLENHOPE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING CRAfIEi.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

Application filed January 22, 1917. Serial No. 143,794.

tainer particularly designed for use in shipping fruit and otherperishable goods that must be carefully crated while being shipped.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a foldingcrate'which consists of comparatively few parts and is simple inconstruction, but durable and well adapted to withstand the rough usageto which devices of this character are ordinarily subjected.

For a full description of the invention and the advantages and meritsthereof, reference is to be had to the following descrip tion and theaccompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated the preferredform of myinvention, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the crate in open position.

Fig. 2 is a plan showing the crate tion just before folding.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the locking plates.

Referring to the drawing, wherein is illustrated the preferred form ofmy invention, and in which like numerals of reference inin posidicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the'bottom 1 comprisesa substantially rectangular frame 2 to which the ends of the bars 3 areattached. The bars 3 are arranged in spaced relation to permitsuflicient space for providing plenty of ventilation for the contents ofthe crate.

Attached to each end of the two outermost slats of each side wall 4: isa locking plate 11 and this plate is provided with an arcuate slot 12.In addition to being arcuate, this slot is tapered so that its small endis disposed adjacent one corner of the plate 11 while its opposite wideterminal is disposed adjacent the center-of the plate. The slot,therefore, is relatively large at the center of the plate and is curvedand tapered toward one corner of the plate as shown to advantage in Fig.6 of the drawing. This structure permits the bill of the hook 13 to beinserted in the large end of the slot so that when the side walls aremoved into upright position the hook may be received in the small endnear the corner of the plate to prevent casual displacement and to holdthe side walls in their operative positions. The lower edge of the outerslat in each end wall is provided with a hook 13 at each end. The hooks13 are adapted to register with the arcuate slots in the correspondingplate when the side walls are raised to operative position as clearlyshown by Fig. 1 of the draw ing. When the walls are swung to uprightposition, the ends of the hooks 13 may extend through the wide portionsof the arouate tapered slots 12 and the hooks then thrust upwardly intothe narrow end of the slot so that the bill of the hooks will engage thebacks of the plates. Particular advantage is found in this constructionof the method of fastening the sides together, inasmuch as it isunnecessary to empty the crate before taking down the side walls. Byvirtue of the curved slots the hooks may be forced inwardly and slightlydownwardly to cause the bill of the hook to be removed from engagementwith the plate. When this is done in all four corners of the crate, thesides and ends will immediately dro and the contents of the crate bethereby e ected whereupon the crate may be quickly folded.

From the foregoing it will be observed that a very simple and durablefolding crate has been provided, the details of which embody theprefered form. I desire it to be understood however, that slight changesin the minor details of construction maybe made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

I claim:

A crate comprising a bottom having hinged side and end walls each end ofeach side wall being equipped with a plate having an arcuate taperedslot extending across the plate and terminating near one of the cornersthereof, hooks carried by the ends lar e ends of the slots in the platewhen the ally displaced from engagement with the Wal s are elevated toupright position, the' backs of the plates. 10 said hooks being adaptedfor movement In testimony whereof I aflix my signature through the slotsto maintain the bills of the in presence of tWo witnesses.

: hooks in engagement with the backs of the EUGENE B. JOHNSTON.

plates, the said restricted ends of the slots Witnesses: 1 maintainingthe said hooks inoperative posi- S. M. JOHNSTON, tion whereby the saidbills can not be casu- P. C. GATES.

